Hidden Bodies by Caroline Kepnes

Hidden Bodies has none of the impact that You did, but I didn't really expect to as we already know the main character and we know the style of narration already and, sadly, it was those that made You so fresh and enjoyable.  Already, Joe is beginning to become an annoyance to the reader and his manipulations this time around are far less subtle and he is clearly nowhere near as clever as he thinks he is.  This is in stark contrast to the first novel so it comes as quite a shock to the reader as you do expect, nay anticipate, more of the same.

By moving Joe to California there was such a lot of scope to move in a different direction with him, not to rehabilitate him but just do something other than the stalker guy with a penchant for murder.  About half way through it actually felt to me like Joe was suffering from locked in syndrome and that everything was merely playing out in his head rather than in reality, that somehow murdering Beck in the previous book had caused a psychotic break and now he was lying drooling in a bed somewhere and this was his fantasy.  To be entirely honest this unfounded thought actually made the rest of the book moderately enjoyable and is solely responsible for the middle of the road 3 stars I have given it.

The story itself is bitty and far more incredulous than You ever was.  I expect to have to suspend a certain amount of belief when reading any book and although I was looking forward to this book I was not expecting it to have any real leaning on reality.  Unfortunately it has no relationship to reality at all.  From drugged up talk show hosts, to a pair of bizarre twins, to Joe suddenly becoming a genius in his new field it all has a sheen of surreality about it, then again the bulk of the book is set among the uber rich of Hollywood so maybe I shouldn't have been that surprised.

You and Providence are great books by Caroline Kepnes but this one definitely doesn't live up to either of them.  I wouldn't advise you to avoid reading it but I would warn you that you may it find it ultimately disappointing.